Introduction
Beekeeping is considered as an agricultural activity. People domesticate bees to produce honey. Beekeeping is effective and efficient for income generation and can bring economic relief to the whole community. However, for a successful beekeeping project, beekeepers need the necessary tools and equipment. This article introduces various tools and equipment for beekeeping and the purpose for beekeepers to use them.
The main supplies needed by beekeepers to collect honey include a complete set of beekeeping tools, beehive tools, smoke sprayers, bee brushes, filter screens, honey collectors and honey storage tanks.
Beekeeping equipment Honey extractor
The honey extractor is a device for extracting honey from a honeycomb. The honey extractor extracts honey from the honeycomb without destroying the honeycomb. In this way, the wax nest is kept intact within the framework and can be reused by bees. Beekeepers found that honey extraction is the central processing point of beekeeping; This is a process of removing honey from the honeycomb, separating pure honey in liquid form from the honeycomb. Beekeepers can squeeze honey from the comb, but this will destroy the precious reusable drawn comb; This is why the equipment (honey extractor) is very important.
For novice beekeepers, safety is your most important concern. Therefore, one of the most important aspects you need when harvesting is beekeeping clothes. As the face and neck are the most vulnerable parts of the human body, hats and veils are the most important parts of the beekeeping clothing. A good beekeeping suit can provide adequate protection for bee stings and protect beekeepers from bee venom. A complete beekeeping set includes a lightweight full-length jumpsuit with hood and veil, and gloves. Although some beekeepers feel it is too troublesome to wear gloves when performing delicate bee keeping tasks, gloves are an important part of protecting the hands of beekeepers when collecting honey. Bees don't like wool or rough fabrics, so keep them smooth. In addition, stay away from any oily or animal smelling materials that may attract swarms of bees. Make sure your suit is completely covered and any gaps are sealed. It is also a good idea to choose only thick materials that do not overheat but are thick enough to withstand bee stings.
This is an important honey gathering device, especially when you want to avoid being stung by angry bees. Beekeepers use "smoke sprayers" to calm bees and harvest honey. Smoke dulls their receptors and prevents guard bees from releasing warning signals, pheromones. It basically disorients the bees, causing them to retreat to the depths of the hive. With only a few bees around the frame, the process of collecting honey becomes easier. The smoke also made them eat more honey, which made them more relieved! Smoke blowers are designed to emit smoke by using a variety of fuels. Many different natural fuels can be used, including burlap, twine, burlap, pine needles, corrugated cardboard or rotten wood.
After using the honey extractor, you are ready to pack honey. However, you need to remove all impurities before pouring honey into the jar and putting your own label on it. The easiest way is to use a honey filter. You can use ordinary kitchen filters, but I suggest you use professional honey filters. An effective honey filter separates impurities from the honey, such as sawdust, bee parts, wax, and any other unwanted particles. After pouring honey into the filter, you will get pure and clear honey.
Beekeeping brush
The bee brush is often recommended to new beekeepers. The brush is used to remove bees from the hive during harvest. It is also used for other purposes, such as queen bee breeding. The bee brush is an essential tool because it gently removes bees from the frame without killing them. The brush is usually made of soft hair and is specially designed to kill bees without causing any harm. During honey gathering, you need to scan every frame with a bee brush, and then put it into the extractor. This is a job that needs to be careful. If you have a lot of bees, it may be time-consuming. The key is to use a brush to carefully remove the bees from the frame and place the frame in a way that the bees will not tangle or break their legs in the process.
Apicultural Lid Opener
The cap opener is used for clean and fast cutting on the wax cap on the honeycomb. The wax cap usually forms a gas tight seal around the cells containing honey, making it very difficult to extract honey. With the electric lid opener, you can easily remove the lid on the honeycomb and extract honey. Another alternative to the electric cap opener is the serrated edge or serrated knife. Before use, ensure that the cap opener is clean, hot and dry to simulate the effect of the electric cap opener. To make it hot, soak it in hot water and dry it with a clean cloth before use. Please remember that you do not want to be polluted, so you must ensure that the cap opener is clean and free of rust.
Apicultural lid opening fork
Another essential and useful honey harvesting device is the lid opening fork. The cap opening fork is used to scrape off the bottle cap missed by the cap opening knife. This is a good tool for scraping off the hard cap on the honeycomb. You can use it instead of a lid opener, or just to pry the indomitable cells that your knife cannot open. Either way, it works well every time!
Honey storage bottle or jar
Another important honey collecting appliance is the honey storage bottle. You need to store the harvested honey in a sealed jar with a lid. Pots made of durable materials. Food grade plastic or glass is the first choice for many beekeepers. Whichever option you make, it keeps the lid of the container tightly closed.
